


Starmark

by Four_Five_Still_Alive



Series: Nick and Ellis [4]
Category: Left 4 Dead (Video Games)
Genre: M/M, OC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-22
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2019-11-03 16:57:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17881655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Four_Five_Still_Alive/pseuds/Four_Five_Still_Alive
Summary: Ellie is growing up with two fathers who are figuring shit out as they go along. With her first day of school coming up the vivacious little girl has a lot to learn of the world outside her happy family.No one has ever told her it's strange to have two fathers. And Nick and Ellis can't stand to see their little girl heartbroken.





	1. Chapter 1

Ellie was a healthy, wild little girl. Her fathers chose not to learn anything about her birth parents, so as she grew everything about her was as much a surprise to Nick and Ellis as it was to the child discovering herself. She looked nothing like her adopted parents. Her skin was a deep olive brown. Her eyes were large and curious with a sharp Asian influence of some sort, though nothing obvious came to mind like Japanese, Chinese or Korean. Her lower lip was full and pouty like the younger of her two fathers, but her upper lip was thin giving a secretive and mischievous look to each and every grin. The combination of her expressive lips and sharp eyes made her the very incarnation of a puckish sprite.

 

Her deep dark brown hair was thick and a bit coarse. Any attempt to contain it was usually a fruitless effort not made any easier by her odd cowlicks that threw the direction of her mane in a senseless pattern. Nick had come to the conclusion early on to allow her to do anything she wanted with her wild locks, much to the discontent of his partner who was raised with the southern impression that a woman’s hair was a work of high art. 

 

Appearance being left up to the five year old, with a painfully short attention span, changing and cutting off various pieces on a whim was not uncommon. The left portion of her head was shaved above the ear to the crown while the top was smoothed over and held off her forehead with clumsily placed hair clips. Towards the back her hair was held at bay with rubber bands containing small locks. Putting more than a fingers width of hair into a ponytail usually meant getting it out would involve scissors. The length of her unshaven mop varied due to her constant alterations but usually was long enough to dust her shoulders. Altogether her hair was a disaster, but somehow beautiful and suited her quite well.

 

Even as a child it was clear that she had an athletic body and a tall frame. By the time she was old enough for school she was a good 3 inches taller than most boys her age in the compound.

 

“Is he home now?” She asked in her sweetest voice.

 

Nick mimed an exaggerated thinking expression before turning his head towards his daughter sitting on his back.

 

“Nope. Not yet.” He turned back to his book as Ellie rolled off him with a sigh onto her father’s bed.

 

“How bout’ now?” She pressed, a mere two minutes later.

 

“ ** _About_**.” Nick corrected.

 

“How about now?”

 

“Hmmm…Nope. Still not home.”

 

Ellie moaned with impatience putting her head on her fathers back, staring at the cement ceiling. 

 

“…How about-“

 

“He’s home.”

 

“Yay!” She lept off the bed and ran out the door.

 

“Be careful on the stairs! You don’t want to fall again!” Her father called after her as she ignored him descending two at a time.

 

“Daddy!” She leapt into Ellis’s arms the minute he opened the garage door.

 

“Hey monster! How’r you so good at knowing when I’m ‘bout to walk in?”

 

“Nick is magic. He knows right when you get home!”

 

“Yea? Bet he’s cheatin’.”

 

“Who me? Never.” Nick came down from their room with a tattered book in hand. “What kind of man would use a mirror to convince his daughter he was magic?”

 

“A _con_ man.” Ellis kissed his lover casually on the cheek with Ellie still clutched around his waist. “What did you two do today?”

 

“We painted my new room!” The girl exclaimed. “Guess what color!”

 

“Orange?”

“How did you know? Are you magic too?”

 

“Its yer favorite color silly! And y’ have orange paint on yer face right here.” He touched her cheek.

 

Ellie took her father by the hand dragging him to see the progress on her new bedroom across the garage. Nick followed with one hand in his pocket, the other holding his open book as he read.

 

“I see your fort is coming along nicely too.” Ellis glanced up at the flat open roof of the room with blankets hanging over the edge. “I want ta see up there!”

 

“You can’t! It’s no dads allowed!”

 

“Not fair! Nick, tell Ellie t’ show me er fort!”

 

“I can’t. It’s no dads allowed.” His eyes still on his book.

 

Ellie ran to the thick rope hanging from the high roof the garage and climbed up it to her fort.

 

“Sheet. I couldn’t have done that when I wuz a kid…” Ellis marveled scratching his head through his hat.

 

“You weren’t a kid in the zombie apocalypse.”

 

“I think even if I were she’d beat me in gym class hands down.”

 

“I always skipped gym to smoke.”

 

“When you were five years old!?!”

 

“No, when _you_ were five years old.”

 

“My kid ain’t gonna. Ellie! Stop growing up right now y’hear?” He called.

 

“I’m trying!” She poked her head over the edge, her face clenched with effort.

 

“Try harder! I can still see ya growin’!”

 

“What’s for dinner?” She asked. “I want t’ eat. I’m starvin’!”

 

“Want _**to** _eat. Starv _ **ing**.”_ Nick corrected.

 

“How come Ellis gets to cheat when he talks but I don’t?” She pouted.

 

“Because Ellis is a hick sweetie, and you are not.”

 

“s’true.”

 

“No fair…”

 

“Come on down and you can help me cook.” Ellis motioned to her. “Ya may not be a hick but yer still gon’ eat like one. We’re making catfish an grits!”

 


	2. Chapter 2

Ellis dive-bombed into bed causing Nick to go slightly airborne as his weight landed heavily on the old spring mattress.

 

“You’re going to break it!” Nick grumbled, not for the first time, not for the last.

 

“Why are you so down? Ya barely touched yer grits!” Ellis smiled widely propping his head up on his hand.

 

“I can’t help it…I hate sending Ellie off to school tomorrow all alone…And on Ellie day too…”

 

“Really? I was just funnin’ cuz I know you hate grits… Shes excited to go to school! She wouldn’t stop yappin’ bout it over dinner.”

 

“Its not _her_ its me… I’m going to miss her…”

 

“Ya do know school is only 5 hours right?”

 

Nick furrowed his eyebrows in a stern pout.

 

“Never ‘spected you to miss bein’ a stay-at-home dad. Little birds gotta leave the nest you know!”

 

“Don’t call me that. And don’t call this place a nest. It’s a garage. It’s manly.”

 

“Dawwww” Ellis took Nick by the chin cooing at him with condescension.

 

“Get off.” Nick lashed out his arm pushing Ellis forcefully away.

 

“Haha, ow…” The mechanic smiled rubbing his shoulder where his lover had shoved him. “Well why don’t you go shoot pool? You used to do that all the time before we got Ellie.”

 

“For five hours?” He sighed. “I _have_ wanted to get to the bar more since I retired to take care of her, but now that I have the chance to I just want to spend more time with my girl…”

 

“I’m jealous.” Ellis scooted himself up against his partner.“Well, t’morrow mornin’ we will have a nice lil Ellie day breakfast with all her favorite foods, presents and a cake. After she blows out her candles you can take her to school and see her off when I go to work. It’ll be nice.”

 

“Yea…”

 

“I know what’ll make ya feel better.” Ellis pulled at the waistband of Nicks boxer briefs.

 

“Woa! Hey, we can’t do any of that tonight Ellie will hear us!”

 

“She’s not in her room.” Ellis proceeded despite Nicks objection. “She’s sleeping in her fort tonight.”

 

“She is? What are we building her a new room for if she’s just going to sleep on top of it? Ahhh-Hnnn E-Ellis…” He sighed as the younger mans tongue ran up the length of his cock.

 

“Mmmm…I keep expecting this ta stop workin” He touched his finger to the tip of the conmans erect dick. “But it’s the same as the day I met you. You’re getting old but you cock isn’t.”

 

“That’s because of you, idiot. With the constant blood flow I think my body has adjusted to sex every day.”

 

“Not _every_ day. Ellie only goes ta visit the girls every other day and on the weekends. Unless you’re rubbin’ one out when I’m not around.” He took the head into his mouth.

 

“Ahh…maybe I do…don’t you?”

 

“Nnmmm hmmmn” Ellis responded in place of a ‘no’. His humming voice gently shook the boys thick lips causing Nick to tilt his head back against the headboard in ecstasy.

 

“Y-you don’t…?”

 

“Mnnaaahh, Not since the day ah met you.” He took his mouth away licking his wet lips.

 

“Not once? Even when I was gone?”

 

“Not once.” Ellis kicked off his boxers and sat forward. He put his fingers in his mouth and ran them in and out against his lips. “I never had to. When you were gone I gave it a few months and then started screwin’ around.” He messaged his fingers against his hole. “Oh don’t make that face. I didn’t cheat on you or anything. You were dead remember?”

 

“That doesn’t mean you had to start so soon- ahhh…”

 

Ellis lowered his hips onto his lover’s hard erection slowly inserting him into himself. He shut his eyes as he felt the sensation of the large dick sliding inside him. His body fitting itself to his shape. He turned his face towards the ceiling as he slid past that spot that made him wild.

 

“If it makes you feel any better…” He breathed deeply as he came to rest fully seated against Nick. “I was drunk or high every time. Or both.”

 

“It doesn’t.” Nick frowned still feeling guilty over the pain he had caused him.

 

“T-this will.” Ellis gyrated his hips using his hand to stoke himself as he watched his lovers expressions of pleasure with each up and down.

 

“Faster.” Nick pleaded putting his hands on the southerner’s thighs.

 

Ellis sped his pace. The muscles in his legs burned from the effort. He took his hands away from his own pleasure and used them to stabilize himself on his lovers chest. Sweat began to form on his forehead dripping down his temple. Nick grabbed his lovers hips stopping his movement. He gazed lustfully at the sight of himself going in and out of Ellis’s ass as he took control, thrusting his hips upward.

 

“N-n-no…” Ellis moaned as he felt the sudden growing sensation of nearing climax

 

Nick was close too. He gripped the younger man’s dick stroking it as he continued his hip motions.

 

“Nnnnn!!!” He guided Ellis down to rest, fully pushed inside, as he pulsed in orgasm. He continued to rub the boy’s exposed cock until his seamen was rained over his chest up to his collarbone.

 

He watched sleepily as Ellis came down from brief hormonal high, shoulders falling forward, pupils constricting, breath slowing.

 

“T-towel?” Ellis asked after rolling off him to face down on his side of the bed.

 

“Clean one in the drawer.” He reached over to the bed stand for his own rag, washing the evidence off his chest.

 

He looked over as his lover cleaned ejaculate from his ass, never ceasing to enjoy the idea of marking his territory.

 

“I’m sorry.” Nick kissed his bare muscular shoulder.

 

“Y’ better not be apologizing for dyin’ again. I told you to cut that out.”

 

“I…wasn’t. I meant sorry for coming in your ass.”  
  
“Liar.”

 

“You know I love you, but I’m going to tell you again anyway.”  
  
“Do know. But I’m still winning.”

 

“Once again I must argue that being the lover who faked his death then came back is the winning side.”

 

“Nope.”

 

“Fine. Well since you’re the winner it’s your job to wake the monster up for school in the morning.”

 

“Aww…But she’s like a sandbag when she wakes up!” He complained.

 

“Well, the winning lover would wake up the kid.”

 

“Fine. But only cuz I’m the winner.” He kissed the older man deeply.

 


	3. Chapter 3

 

“Ok sweet heart, do you have your lunch?”

 

“Yes dad…” Ellie rolled her eyes.

 

“I’ll pick you up here after school and we will go over to the girls house for more Ellie day”

 

The little girl smiled and ran into the school building. Nick couldn’t help but wear a sad expression as he watched her skip away.

 

“Hello! My name is Miss White! What is your name?”

 

“I’m Ellie!”

 

“Hello Ellie! Whats your CN?”

 

“Right now its King-Dei.”

 

“Oh? Oh. Oh-my! You’re-“

 

“My daddy is kind of famous.” Ellie whispered.

 

“Yes I know! We will just call you Ellie Dei ok? You’re dad doesn’t want you to have to bother with people noticing too much.”

 

She nodded with her puckish smile.

 

“Ok class!” The teacher called their attention. “Who can tell me what ‘CN’ stands for?”

 

“Code Name!” A young boy shouted.

 

“Close Riley! Many people get that wrong! But _officialy_ its a little trickier!”

 

“Crepe-o-nine!” Ellie shouted.

 

“Thats…basically right Ellie! Its pronounced ‘cryptonym’ and it pretty much _means_ code name so you’re both right!”

 

“Why do we use them?”

 

“Because we have new names after the virus took over!”

 

“Sort of! Many people decided to abandon or keep secret their last names before the outbreak! Partially as a new start, partially to hide their pasts, but there are a few other reasons too! Anyone?”

 

“To hide our names to outsiders!”

 

“Also true! Another reason for the Cryptonyms was so that we didn’t have to use our civilian names outside the compound to prevent outsiders from targeting specific citizens!”

 

“Its easier to not make mistakes on the walkies!”

 

“Thats right Ellie! When speaking over the radio we answer with things like ‘Rodger’ or the natophonetic alphabet. Using specific code names makes it easier to tell the difference so there are less misunderstandings! Well done children! Next question, what is a Star Mark?”

 

“Its this!” One little boy lifted his sleeve to show a blemish about a half an inch wide on his arm.

 

“Yes! That is a Star Mark! Raise your hand if you have one!”

 

All the children raised their hands.

 

“And all of the teachers don’t! Why is that?”

 

“Because we are the first generated to be vaccinate by zombies?”

 

“You’re so close Ellie! You are the first _generation_ to be _vaccinated against_ zombies! How do you get a start mark?”

 

“When they give babies their shot it makes them have one!”

 

“Yes! The mixture creates a callus that children will always carry because the vaccine is a very potent dose. After many vaccinations you will eventually develop a permanent scar which we call a star mark! Many people didn’t like them at first until a few citizens gave them the name! Now they are considered a badge of honor to the new generation and are seen by the other generations as change to come! Aren’t you all proud of your star marks?”

 

Ellie nodded vigorously with and excited smile. She didn’t know what Nick was so worried about! School was fun!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This may or may not be slightly related to the way I behaved as a child.   
>  -45SA

“Have fun kids! Play safe!” The teacher called from the back of the playground as the children ran out excitedly to recess.

 

Ellie couldn’t wait to begin making friends. She had already learned the names of several children in her class and was ready to use them!

 

“Hi” Said a little boy. 

 

“Hello!” Ellie said happily. “Want to play?”

 

“I have some friends that I met from my quadrant waiting for me. Want to come with us?”

 

“Sure!” She looked over to the other little boys waiting under a tree. “My name is Ellie!”

 

“You’re the one who knew all the answers!”

 

“Yep! Its kind of a secret but my dad knows a lot about star marks!”

 

“Thats cool. My dad knows a lot about guns. This is Jamie, Adam and Spencer. I’m Rob. Their dads know about guns too, they’re all in the same unit.”

 

“Oh wow! My other dad knows about guns. Nick used to know a lot about guns but he’s tired from the army now so he just stays home and plays with me while Ellis works.”

 

“What do you mean your other dad?” Adam looked at her like she was stupid.

 

“Oh! I forgot. Instead of a mommy I have two daddies!”

 

“That can’t happen. My dad told me in order for there to be a baby there needs to be a daddy and a mommy.”

 

I had a daddy and a mommy but they died a long time ago before I was even a day old so Ellis and Nick adopted me.

 

“So your dads are brothers? Like they’re your uncles?”

 

“What? No. They love each other.”

 

“Like, they kiss?” Rob asked looking disgusted.

 

“Yea. Just like all families.” Ellie was confused at his expression.

 

“You can’t be friends with us.” Rob crossed his arms. “My dad says I can’t be friends with bad people.”

 

“I’m not a bad person…” Ellies eyes fell to the dirt as she wrung her hands nervously.

 

“Your dads are going to hell.”

 

“I-I’m not allowed to say that word outside the house…where is h-hell?” She whispered.

 

“Its not on _earth_ stupid. Its where bad people go after they die.”

 

“But my dads aren’t bad…they’re heroes.”

 

“No they aren’t. Two boys who are in love are evil. My dad told me so.”

 

“My dad’s aren’t evil!”

 

“Yes they are! They are bad! My dad told me and my dad is a master sergeant! Your dads are going to hell and so are you!”

 

Ellies sadness quickly faded to rage as she took Rob by the scruff of his shirt and drew back her fist.


	5. Chapter 5

“Major King! H-hello sir! Are you here about the note?”

 

“Note? What note? I’m here to pick up my daughter, Ellie.”

 

“Y-you are…? Didn’t she give you my note?”

 

Nicks stomach churned with panic. “I haven’t seen my daughter since I dropped her off this morning.”

 

“E-Ellie told me she was supposed to walk home… and I knew she lived in this quadrant so I let her go with the other West quadrant kids who walk…”

 

“You did _what?!?_ ”

 

“I’m sorry sir! I’ll help you find her!”

 

“No! You will stay here and radio if she returns!” Nick already had his walkie in hand. “Captain Dei! Come in!”

 

“~How did the first day at school go?~” Ellis’s voice sounded amused and happy.

 

“She’s gone!” Nick said urgently.

 

“~What? What do you mean? Where is she?!?~”

 

“I don’t know!!! I’m going to Rochelle and Abby’s. Its closer and its where we were supposed to go after school.”

 

“~I’m already on my way home.~”

 

“I told you we shouldn’t have sent her to school!”

 


	6. Chapter 6

Ellis rushed in the door to their garage home.

 

“Ellie?!? Ellie are you here?” When he heard nothing he put his hands on his head knocking his hat to the ground as he began to hyperventilate. He would rather be facing thousands of zombies than not know where is daughter was. Thats when he saw the rope swaying next to Ellie’s room.

 

“Darlin’? You up there? Please El, I need to know you're safe…”

 

He saw her messy hair and big brown eyes peer over the top of one of her cushions.

 

“Thank god. Ellie, Nick and I were worried sick! Kin’ I come up?”

 

“No da-“ She stopped, unable to tell him he wasn’t allowed. Not after what that boy had said.

 

“Sweetheart?”

 

She nodded and pointed to the rope.

 

“Nick, she’s at home. She’s ok, she just seems a little shook up.” He said into his walkie (not bothering with code names) before he began to climb.

 

“~On my way.~”

 

“Hey El.” He said cautiously as he stepped carefully onto the cinderblock overlook covered in eclectic pillows, colorful carpet remnants and stuffed animals. “Something wrong? Its not like you to worry me and Nick like that…”

 

She had her knees drawn up to her chest and her eyes were red from crying. She handed him a note with the school letter head.

 

“ _Dear Mjr King and Cptn Dei, I would like to meet with you regarding Ellie, she got into a fight on the playground today._ A fight? That don’t sound like you. At breakfast all y’ could talk ‘bout wuz wanting ta make friends with everyone…Wut happened sweetie?”

 

“I…I punched a boy…His eye turned purple and he got a nose bleed…”

 

“Why’d ya do that? There’s no way y’ didn’t have a reason…”

 

“Why didn’t you tell me what hell meant?”

 

“H-hell?”

 

“Rob, on the playground. He said you and Nick are bad people and that you’re going to hell. Because thats where bad people go…”

 

“He said that?”

 

She nodded, a fresh stream of tears running down her cheeks. “Because you love each other…He said that its wrong…”

 

“Oh Ellie…Ah…Ahm sorry…”

 

“But you’re not!” She sat forward desperately looking into her fathers eyes. “You’re not bad! Neither is Nick! Right? Theres no reason to be sorry because you’re not bad!” Her little arms wrapped around his shoulders as she continued to sob.

 

“Ellie…We…we didn’t think ya needed to worry about that stuff yet.”

 

“Y-you’re not bad! A-are you?”

 

“Do _you_ think we’re bad?”

 

“N-n-no…”

 

“Then what are you so worried about?”

 

“I…I don’t want _anyone_ to think your bad…”

 

Ellis looked down into the garage and saw Nick rush through the door, frantic. He waved to him from Ellie’s fort and summoned him over.

 

“Ellie, there are lots of people out there who think different things from each other. Its almost like how Nick likes mint chip ice cream and you don’t. Is Nick _wrong_ for liking mint chip?”

 

“No…”

 

“Not everyone feels the same way about what is right and what is wrong.”

 

Nick stepped into the fort.

 

“Today someone told Ellie that you and I are going to hell.”

 

“W-what?” Nick looked like he could almost cry.

 

“She slugged him. Gave him a black eye.” Ellis smiled and rubbed her back gently.

 

Nick still looked a bit rattled but was relieved. “Thats my girl.” He laughed slightly, quickly returning to concern for her.

 

She looked up at him. “You’re not mad?”

 

“What? That you hit that little prick? No way! I’d probably have hit him myself. Even if he _is_ 5 years old…”

 

“Nick…” Ellis chided, though he wore a smile.

 

“Sorry, I…I just don’t know what we should do about this…”

 

“I think we need to tell her the truth.”

 

“S-shes so young…”

 

“She’s a smart girl. Ain’t ya Ellie?”

 

She looked at Nick, who was struggling to come up with the words.

 

“Ellis said that people think different things about right and wrong.”

 

“Ellis said that?”

 

She nodded.

 

“Thats a nice way to put it…We told you how babies are made right?”

 

“By boys and girls together, when they’re older.”

 

“Right. So…some people think that because you need a boy and a girl to make babies that… well some people think that two boys or two girls shouldn’t be in love.”

 

“They do?”

 

“Yea.”

 

“Are they wrong?”

 

“Well, thats for you to decide.”

 

“…I think they are wrong.”

 

“Why do you think that Ellie?” Ellis smiled and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

 

“Because one thing that I know is good is love…right?”

 

“Well, I can’t say _I_ think you’re wrong!”

 

“Well, since you love each other… and since you love me…we’re just as good a family as any family. It doesn’t matter if there is no mommy. We don’t need a mommy right? Even if we did, we have Rochelle and Abby and Zoe.”

 

“I’m sorry we didn’t prepare you for this El…” Nick hugged her.

 

“Thats ok dad. You just wanted me to be happy right?”

 

“Right.”

 

“Ok. Then Rob can go to hell.”

 

Ellis roared with laughter. Ellie looked confused as to what he was laughing at, but when Nick joined in she couldn’t help but laugh too.

 

“So I’m not in trouble for hitting him?”

 

“No. We’re proud of you for standing up for yourself.” Nick smiled. “But next time maybe you should ignore him and find some better friends on the playground ok?”

 

“Friends that like the same ice cream as me?”

 

“Thats a pretty good start!”

 

“I think I can make friends with people who don’t like the same ice cream too.”

 

“Do you?”

 

“Because Nick likes mint chip. And I still like Nick.”

 

“I like you too Ellie. What do you say we head over to Rochelle and Abby’s for some ice cream and Ellie day?”

 

“What kind of ice cream?”

 

“Any kind ya want monster. As much ice cream as y’ can eat.”

 


	7. Chapter 7

“No! I don’t care if you spoke to her parents! I want to talk to the people who would raise a kid to hit someone like this! Its horrible! Look at him!”

 

“I’m sorry sir but-“

 

“My son only _spoke_ to this kid and he hit him in the face hard enough to make his nose bleed and you’re fine with just letting the parents deal with it?!?”

 

“Sir, it was a little girl, and if you knew how much he had upset her-“

 

“So every time a boy says something mean to a girl she can just knock him over the head?”

 

“Don’t worry we spoke to hear about that.”

 

“Who the-?” Robs belligerent father turned to find the speaker.

 

He quickly raised his hand to his head and stood straight and to attention when he saw Nick walking up the school path towards them.

 

“M-Major King! I didn’t think this was a matter for someone of your importance sir!”

 

“At ease. I’m just here to drop off my daughter.”

 

Ellie peered up at him shyly from behind her fathers leg. While Nick certainly SOUNDED sincere, he had shown up that day in his formal military uniform, leaving no room to mistake his rank and accomplishments.

 

“It would appear that your son was imparting some of your…wisdom…to my daughter about who I chose to spend my life with.”

 

“It was… _your_ daughter?”

 

“This is Ellisia Iphygenia Dei-King. I try not to make my family the subject of gossip, but my partner and I were very distressed that we had to explain his cruel words to her at such a young age.”

 

“Partner?”

 

“That would be me.” Ellis approached and put his hand on Nick and Ellie’s shoulders.

 

Ellis was also dressed in his full military uniform. Uniforms they rarely wore, but with status displayed prominently on the chest they knew that the other father would have to salute them, and they weren’t going to pass up that opportunity.

 

“Captain Dei!” He snapped back to attention.

 

“Ellis, you’re supposed to say _at ease_.” Nick whispered.

 

“Naw, I don’ think ah will.”

 

“We have spoken with Ellie about the incident, and she will not be punching Rob again. You’re free to believe what you wish and say what you want to your son about it. But if our daughter _ever_ comes home from school in tears because of your hate speech again, you can expect the Captain and I at your doorstep to resolve it.”

 

“Ready to go to school sweetheart?” Ellis asked taking her by the hand and skipping with her towards the door. “At ease, sergeant.” He said quietly as they passed.

 

“R-Rob, I don’t want you to say those kinds of things at school anymore, understand?”

 

“Yes sir…” The boy said, clearly confused.

 

The teacher lead him into the school as the parents left. Rob looked cautiously at Ellie as the children began to take their seats to resume learning. She saw him staring and walked over to him. He srunk away at her approach, his eye was purple and swollen.

 

“You know how we learned about star marks yesterday and I knew all the answers?”

 

“Y-yes…”

 

“Thats because my daddy, Major King, he pretty much invented them. Everyone knows who he is because he’s a hero. He saved all the kids here from turning into zombies. You too.” She pointed at his star mark. “You don’t have to think he’s a good person. But if it wasn’t for my daddy you would turn into a zombie someday. So maybe you’re wrong about people you don’t know being bad.” She shot him a look of pity and ran off to find her seat.

 

“H-hi…” Said one of Rob’s friends who was seated next to her. Yesterday Ellie had thought she was a boy, but it was now clear she was a girl with short hair wearing boys clothes.

 

“Hi.” She said, feeling more cautious today.

 

“I don’t think your dads are bad people.”

 

“You don’t?” She felt a wave of relief.

 

 _“_ Nope. My mommy and daddy never told me that. It seemed like a mean thing for Rob to say.”

 

“It was mean but I guess I shouldn’t have punched him…”

 

 _“_ Do you wish you didn’t punch him?”

 

Ellie glanced away and smiled softly. “No.”

 

She shared her smile. “My name is Jamie. I’m almost six.”

 

“I’m Ellie. I just turned six.”

 

“If you want to play on the playground with me today I won’t play with Rob and Adam.”

 

“What if we play and if they want to come and if they promise not to be mean they can too?”

 

She smiled and nodded.

 

“Hey Jamie?” Ellie turned back to her just before class started. “What kind of ice cream do you like?”

 

 


End file.
